A column chronicling events and conversations on the awards circuit.
All members get to weigh in on the program categories.
The ballots went live Thursday and of course have all the usual suspects and obvious front-runners to choose from.
(L-R) Cassandra Blair, Susan Berger, Ronald Gladden and James Marsden at a ‘Jury Duty’ FYC event at Pendry West HollywoodFreevee
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CAN A LONG SHOT GO ALL THE WAY FOR COMEDY SERIES?
But what about theimpossiblelist?
That is what I will be shilling for today.
ATAS
The series is on Freevee (say what?
), the Amazon free-streaming offshoot.
Could lightning even strike twice with something like this?
to which the actor replies, Yes.
In Cannes, France?
a lawyer incredulously asks.
The film festival, Marsden replies with deadpan precision.
See the trailer below.
In fact the whole enterprise was a risk unlike anything I have seen.
The casting of the actors, and of the juror not in on the joke, was crucial.
And they could not cast immediately recognizable actors (except Marsden) for risk of Ronald spotting one.
It is great theEmmyshave a casting category because Casting Director Susie Farris deserves to run away with it.
AtJury Dutys well attended FYC event, Marsden and Gladden appeared along with actors Susan Berger and Cassandra Blair.
At the reception, Szymanski told me post-production was more like editing a documentary.
Several of the actors turned up for that launch in Studio City.
And how do we get to the finish line?
Is this something thats going to be funny?
Is it going to be?, Marsden said at the FYC event.
Were not trying to turn the screws to some guy who didnt ask for it.
What itwaswas creating a heros journey for somebody.
And I was like, well, thats nice you know, thats it.
Thats a nice endeavor, but how do we do that?
And also how to be funny and be fun.
But I wasnt prepared for the other thing, which is this high wire act.
We discussed that every day.
Marsden added that the writing was key, even if it didnt look written.
Every day going in not knowing what you would expect, but still having a plan, he said.
The architecture, the scripts, were brilliant.
I mean, I read the seven scripted episodes.
The writers dont get enough credit for this show.
I am told episode 5 is the one submitted for a writing Emmy.
Playing a twisted version of himself here may be the best work he has ever done.
Shannon basically said the same thing as he sat down with us.
Plus, they had to perform songs live in front of an audience.
T Bone Burnett was among the famous musicians who offered guidance.
All you gotta do is see the show to see they indeed pulled this off.
That wasnt the case inGeorge & Tammy.Both didalltheir own singing, no net required.
Of course, that is one of the key contract points the current SAG-AFTRA contract negotiations are taking on.
That is why I like being on the stage, doing theatre.
You cant use AI, she told me, with Shannon agreeing theatre is the purest form of acting.
Something to look forward to indeed.
